Convertible top



July 31, 1962 A. J. CARPENTER CONVERTIBLE TOP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6, 1961 iig,

July 31, 1962 A. J. CARPENTER CONVERTIBLE TOP 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6, 1961 mfw L m m www ATTORNEY July 31, 1962 A. .1. CARPENTER 3,047,332

CONVERTIBLE TOP Filed June 6, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,047,332 CONVERTIBLE T? Arthur I. Carpenter, Royal (Bak, Mich., assigner to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed .lune 6, 1961, Ser. No. 115,119 Claims. (Cl. 296-116) This invention relates to convertible tops and more particularly to convertible top linkages and actuating means.

The convertible top and actuating means of this invention is particularly intended for use with power actuated convertible tops wherein the rear quarter window opening is rather large and is defined by the rear rail section of the top frame. In an arrangement such as this it is difficult for the power arm to be connected to the intermediate rail section or the front rail section and to extend between the body and the rail section to which it is connected around the rather large rear quarter window opening. In many present tops of this type, difliculties are often encountered in the raising and lowering of the top because of the large force output required of the power actuator. During movement of the top, the required output may exceed the rated force output of the actuator and result in an uneven and halting movement of the top out of the top well and unfolding movement of the top in spurts rather than in a smooth and continuous manner.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the power arm is pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to a bell crank which is swingably mounted on the rear rail section, with the movement of the bell crank relative t0 the rear rail section being controlled by a linkage arrangement which connects the bell crank to the body. The upper end of the power arm is connected to one of a pair of pivotally connected shiftable links, the other link being operatively connected to the intermediate rail section so as to fold this rail section relative to the rear rail section and in turn fold the front rail section relative to the intermediate rail section by the usual top linkage when the top frame is lowered. The pivots of the one link to the power arm and of the other link to the one link are guided by guide means supported on the rear rail section so as to control movement of the links and in turn control folding movement of the intermediate rail section relative to the rear rail section. The power arm and the links lie very close to the rear rail section in the raised position of the top frame so as to enhance the appearance of the top frame and to also not present any problems to attachment of the top fabric to the top frame.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved convertible top linkage and actuating means therefor. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means for transferring power from a power actuator to an intermediate rail section through a power arm which is supported by a rear rail section. A further object of this invention is to provide an improved power Itrain between a power actuator and a rail section of a top frame.

These and other objects of the invention will be read* ily apparent from the following specilications and drawings wherein:

FIGURE l is a partially broken away partial side elevational view of a convertible vehicle body having a convertible top mounted thereon embodying a top linkage and actuating means according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of portion FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken ygenerally along the plane indicated by line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view showing the convertible top in the lowered position thereof within the body;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional View taken generally along the plane indicated by line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

3,047,332 Patented July 31, 1962 FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 6 6 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along the plane indicated by line 7-7 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, a convertible vehicle body 10 includes a windshield 12, a windshield header 14, and a front `door 16 at either side of the body hinged thereto at its forward edge 18 and latched thereto at its rearward edge 20. A convertible top frame 22 embodying a top linkage and actuating means according to this invention is mounted on body 10 for movement between a raised position as shown in FIGURE l and a lowered position as shown in FIGURE 4. Since each side of the top frame is of like construction, although of different han-d, only one side will be particularly described.

The top frame 22 generally comprises front, intermediate and rear rail sections 24, 26 and 23, respectively. The front rail section 24 is integral with the top header 30 which seats on the windshield header 14 in the raised position of the top frame and may be secured thereto by suitable top header latches, not shown. Rail section 24 is pivoted to rail section 26 at 32 by a pair of upstanding ears 34 on rail section 26, FIGURE 3, which receive and are bolted to an upstanding ear 36 on rail section 24. Rail sections 26 and 2S are pivoted together at 38, and rail section 28 is pivoted `at 40' between the ears of a bracket 42 which is fxedly mounted on the rear quarter inner body panel 44 to thereby pivotally mount the top frame on the body.

As can be seen in FIGURE l, the rear rail section 28 forms substantially the entire upper edge of the rear quarter window opening, with the belt line 46 of the body defining the lower edge of the window opening. The forward edge of the Window opening lies generally in a vertical plane through the rearward edge 2d of door I6, and the rear quarter window, not shown, seals against the vertically movable door window, not shown, in the closed position of each of these windows.

The control means interconnecting rail sections 24 and 26 generally comprise a pair of toggle links 48 and 50 pivoted together at 52, with link 48 being pivoted at 54 to rail section 26 and link Si?4 being pivoted at 56 to rail section 24. Another set of toggle links 5S and 60 are pivoted together at 62, with link 5S being pivoted at 64 to an angle bracket 66 secured to rail section 24, FIG- URE 3, and link 6u being pivoted at 68 to an intermediate portion of a control link 70. The forward end of link 70 is pivoted at 72 to an immediate portion of link 48 and the rearward end thereof is pivoted at 74 to an extension member 76 secured to the rear rail sect-ion 28 and extending beyond the pivot 38 ybetween rail sections 26 and 2S. The pivot 62 of links 58 and 66 further supports the forward or No. l bow 7S of the top frame.

The control means interconnecting rail sections 26 and 28 includes a shiftable control link Si) having the forward end thereof pivoted at 82 to an extension member 84 secured to rail section 26. The rearward end of the link St) is pivoted by pin 86 to the forward end of a shiftable link S8. The rearward end of the link SS is pivoted by pin 90 to the upper end of a power arm or power link 92 of generally hook-shape construction. A channel guide member 94 has the base thereof suitably secured to the rear rail section '23, with this member following tlie contour of the rear rail section around the upper portion of the rear window opening. The side walls of the member 94 are slotted at 96, with the slots 96 also following the contour of the rear rail section 28. As can be seen in FIGURES 6 and 7, the ends of the pins 86 and 90 are slidable in the slots 96 of the member 94. Thus the shifting movement of the link S8 and the shifting movement of the rearward end of the link S0 and of the upper end of the link 92 is positively controlled by the guide member 94.

The lower end of the power arm or power link 92 is pivotally secured at 923 to one leg of a generally triangularly shaped bell crank member 100 which is pivoted at 102 to the rear rail section 28 immediately below the belt line of the body and adjacent to the rear corner of the rear quarter window opening. The other leg of the bell crank 100 is pivoted at 104 to a control link 166 which is pivoted at 168 on the body inner panel 44.

A power actuator 110 of the piston and cylinder type is pivoted at its lower end at 112 to the panel 44 and the piston rod 114 at the actuator is pivoted at 116 to a pair of links 118 and 120. Link 118 is pivoted at 122 to the bracket 42 and link 120 is pivoted at 124 to the rear quarter rail section 28 intermediate the pivots 49 andV 102.

The deck bow 126 has the legs thereof pivoted at 128 to an extension 130 of the rear rail section 28. Links 132 are pivoted at 134 to the deck bow and at 138 to the rear or No. 3 bow 136. Bow 136 is pivoted at 14) to an angle bracket 142 secured to the rear rail section 28. The intermediate or No. 2 bow 144 is pivoted at 146 to angle bracket 148 secured to the rear rail section 28.

The top frame 22 is shown in raised position in FIG- URE l of the drawings and in lowered position in FIGURE 4 of the drawings wherein the top frame is located within the body 1) in the usual convertible top well located rearwardly of the rear seat of the body. It the top frame is to be moved from its raised to its lowered position, power actuator 110 is supplied with hydraulic pressure luid in order to retract the piston rod 114 thereof. This will fold links 118 and 12) so as to swing the rear rail section 28 clockwise or downwardly and rearwardly of the body about its pivot 40. As rail section 2S swings in this direction, bell crank 100 will bodily move with the rail section and will also be urged to swing in the opposite direction, or counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE l, about its pivot 102 on the rear rail section since link 106 swings about the pivot 108 thereof in a different arc greater than the arc of movement of pivot 162 about the pivot 40 of the rail section 28 on the body, This will cause the power arm 92 to be placed in compression and to move the link 8S forwardly as pins 86 and 90 move forwardly in slots 96. Movement of the link 88 in this direction will also place the control link 80 in compression so as to urge rail sections 26 and 24 to swing downwardly, or counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE l, as a unit about the pivot 38 of rail section 26 to rail section 2S.

Since the link 196 swings in an arc, the counterclockwise movement of the bell crank 16@ is continuously variable. Thus, the compression which is placed in the power arm 92 and in the control links 88 and 80 is also continuously variable and a variable restraint is placed on the action of the power arm and control links so as to delay folding movement of the top trame as it is lowered and thereby allow the power actuator 110 to operate within its effective rang of power output. It will be noted that link 106 must swing in an arc which is not concentric with the arc of movement of the pivot pin 102 in order that the power arm 92 and the control links 80 and 88 be placed in compression as the top frame is lowered.

As the rail sections 24 and 26 are urged by link 80 to swing counterclockwise as a unit about the pivot 38, the control link 70 which interconnects rail section 28 and toggle linkages 48, 50, and 58, 60, will fold these linkages so as to swing rail section 24 rearward or clockwise relative to rail section 26 about the pivot 32 therebetween as the rail sections 24 and 26 swing about the pivot 38 to hold rail sections 24 and 26 relative to each other and rail section 28 as the top is lowered.

The movement of the top bows is controlled by the top fabric 150, which interconnects the bows 78, 144, 136 and 126 and the top header 3G. As the rail section 24 swings rearwardly over the rail section 26, the slack in the top fabric will allow bows 78 and 144 to swing rearwardly or clockwise about their respective pivots on the top frame and allow bow 126 to swing counterclockwise relative to rail section 28 whereby the bow 136 is swung forwardly or counterclockwise about pivot 149 by link 132 and the bows are disposed as shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings when the top is in a lowered position.

When the top frame 22 is being moved from its lowered position within the body, as shown in FIGURE 4, to its raised position, as shown in FIGURE l, rthe bell crank 10i) and link 106 again function to place a variable restraint upon the action of the power arm 92 and control links Si) and 88 to control the rate at which the rail section 26 unfolds relative to rail section 28 and likewise the rate at which rail section 24 unfolds relative to rail section 26 by means of the control link 70 and associated toggle linkages. It is believed that the action of the various control links, toggle linkages, and bell cranks during raising movement of the top frame can easily be understood without further specic description. However, it should be noted that the power arm 92 and control links 89 and 8S are placed in tension rather than in compression when the top is being raised, with this tension being continuously variable as link 106 swings in its arc about the pivot 108 thereof on the body at the same time as the rear rail section 28 swings in a similar arc about the pivot 40 thereof on the body. Since the tension placed in the power arm and control links is continuously variable a variable restraint is thus placed upon the action of the power arm and control links.

Thus this invention provides a new and improved convertible top linkage and actuating means.

What is claimed is:

1. In a convertible vehicle body, the combination comprising, a foldable top frame including a pair of pivotally connected rail sections, means swingably mounting one of said rail sections on said body to mount said top frame thereon for movement between raised and lowered positions, operating `means for so moving said `top frame, power arm means, means pivotally connecting said power arm means to said one rail section for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, con-trol means operatively connected to the other rail section to fold said other rail section relative to said one rail section, shiftable means interconnecting said control means and said power arm means, guide means defining a predetermined path of movement of said shiftable means, spaced means operatively interconnecting said shiftable means and said guide means to cause said shiftable means to follow said path of movement, and means controlling the movement of said power arm means relative to said one rail section upon swinging movement of said one rail section relative to said body.

2. In a convertible vehicle body, the combination comprising, a foldable top frame including a pair of pivotally connected rail sections, means swingably mounting one of said rail sections `on said body to mount said top frame thereon for movement between raised and lowered positions, operating means for so moving said top frame, a power arm, means pivotally connecting said power arm to said one rail section for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, control means operatively connected to the other rail section to fold said other rail section relative to said one rail section, a shiftable member pivotally interconnecting said control means and said power arm, guide means dening a predetermined path of shifting movement of said member, spaced means operatively interconnecting said member and said guide means to cause said member to follow said path of movement, and means controlling the movement of said power larm relative to said one rail Section upon swinging movement of said one rail section relative to said body.

3. In a convertible vehicle body, the combination comprising, a foldable top frame including a pair of pivotally connected rail sections, means swingably mounting one of said rail sections on said body to mount said top frame thereon for movement between raised and lowered positions, operating means for so moving said top frame, a power arm, means pivotally connecting said power arm to said one rail section for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, control means operatively connected to the other rail section to fold said other rail section relative to said one rail section, a shiftable link pivotally interconnecting said control means and said power arm, guide means slidably connected to the pivots of said link to control the movement of said link, and means `controlling the movement of said power arm relative to said one rail section upon swinging movement of said one rail section relative to said body.

4. In a convertible vehicle body, the combination comprising, a foldable top frame includ-ing a pair of pivotally connected rail sections, means swingably mounting one of said rail sections `on said body to mount said top `frame thereon for movement between raised and lowered positions, operating means for so moving said top frame, power arm means, means pivotally connecting said power arm means to said one rail section for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, control means operatively connected -to the other rail section to fold said other nail section relative to said one rail section, shiftable link means pivotally interconnecting said control means and said power arm means, guide means following the contour of said one rail sec- 6 tion, means slidably connecting said guide means to the pivots of said link means to control the movement of said link means, and means controlling the movement of said power arm means relative to said one rail Section upon swinging movement of -said one rail section relative to said body.

5. In a. convertible vehicle body, the combination comprising, a foldable -top frame including a pair of pivotally connected rail sections, means swingably mounting one of said rail sections on said lbody to mount said top frame thereon for movement between raised and lowered positions, operating means for so moving said top frame, a power arm, means pivotally connecting said power `arm to said one rail section for movement therewith and movement relative thereto, control means operatively connected to lthe other rail section to fold said other rail section relative to said one rail section, a shiftable link pivotally interconnecting said control means and said power arm, a channel guide secured to said one rail section and receiving said link therein, means slidably connecting the pivots of said link to said guide to control the movement of said link, and means controlling t-he movement of said power iarm relative to said one rail section upon swinging movement of said one rail section relative to said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Lautenback et al Mar. 29. 1960 

